1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to footstools, hassocks, or other such footrests by providing an extension to support the user's legs and fluid or gel filled cushions on either the extension or the footstool or both.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, footstools consisted almost exclusively of small, raised platforms either unpadded or padded with horsehair, cotton, rubberized foam, or other such materials. Such devices serve to elevate the feet and, when padded, to soften somewhat the point of contact but do nothing to spread the point of contact or to support the user's legs. This often results in aches and pains in the user's knees. Some reclining chairs have included a section between the seat and the footrest as a leg support but to date there have been no such additions to footstools.
When the footstool is lower than the edge of the couch or chair that the user is sitting on, the edge of the couch or chair provides some support for the user's thighs. This support, however, is usually a rather stiff edge and, with prolonged use, tends to cut circulation to the user's legs causing some discomfort. When the footstool is not lower than the couch or chair, the user's legs are supported only at the hips and feet causing a strain on the underside of the knees. In addition, different users will sink into a couch or chair by different amounts because of the wide variations in weight from one user to another. This will cause the angle, formed by the user's legs to the horizontal, to differ from user to user as well as from chair to chair. This invention corrects these problems by providing the footstool with an adjustable support for the lower legs thereby affording greater comfort. By adjusting the angle of the support it can be made to match the angle of the user's legs thereby equalizing the pressure of the hips, legs and feet.
There are also wide variations in user's leg lengths, requiring the footstool to be placed at greater or lesser distances from the chair or couch for different users. This invention compensates for these variations by allowing the adjustable support to be extended toward the user and away from the footstool for users with long legs or retracted close to the footstool for users with shorter legs.
The cushioning material used in prior art is generally quite firm because it is intended to support the user's heels. This invention provides additional comfort by means of a fluid or gel filled cushion. Such a cushion will conform to the shape of the user's legs or feet thereby making contact with a much greater surface of the user's legs or feet than an ordinary foam filled cushion or other such pad. The greater the area of contact between the cushion and the user's legs, the lower the pressure per square inch and, therefore, the greater the comfort.
The resilient foot rest in U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,495 to Malynowsky, 1994 Jun. 7, describes a method of stimulating the circulation of the lymphatic system with minimal exertion by the user. This is intended to be accomplished by the user extending a spring by pushing downward with his or her foot and allowing the spring to oscillate moving the user's leg with it. Because the spring can only dissipate the energy put into it this method uses as much effort as would be needed to turn bicycle pedals. A fluid or gel filled cushion, however, allows the inclusion of an oscillatory or vibratory mechanism to be coupled to the footstool and/or the leg support pad or cushion. Such an oscillatory or vibratory mechanism would not only relax and soothe the muscles to ease tired or cramped legs or feet but would also tend to improve circulation of blood and the lymphatic system. A vibrator would be ineffective with the cushions used with prior art because the padding used would tend to dampen or absorb the vibrations. A fluid or gel filled cushion, however, will not only transmit the vibrations very efficiently and effectively but can also be made to modify them.
Additionally, by making the fluid or gel filled cushion removable it can be heated or cooled separately and then reinserted to provide further therapeutic value. Even if the pad or cushion used in prior art were made to be removable the materials used will not retain heat or cold.